


And Now I Just Sit (in silence)

by orphan_account



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Injury warning, M/M, gen cast, i'm sorry everyone i've had this saved on my computer as 'a giant angst', self betaed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-11
Updated: 2015-06-11
Packaged: 2018-04-03 21:18:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4115272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It starts out looking like a check. Jack goes down and Bitty’s heart leaps but he has to remind himself that this is the nature of hockey and this is what he signed up for. Jack is going to get knocked down. He’s always fine afterwards, even if there is a bruise or two. But this time there’s enough blood for them to have to stop play, Jack’s helmet is across the rink, and Jack isn’t getting up so they’re having to carry him off the ice. He’s still bleeding.<br/>They’re not even saying what <i>happened<i></i></i> to him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And Now I Just Sit (in silence)

 “Are you sure you want me here before this game?” Bitty asks. “I mean, you’re sure I won’t mess up your pregame ritual or anything?”

“It’s the Stanley Cup Final.” Jack says, Bitty’s bag slung over his shoulder. “I think you’ll be a good luck charm.” He sets the duffle down on the floor. “Besides, I’ve missed you.”

“Well.” Bitty says, reaching out and grabbing Jack’s hand. “If I won’t mess up your game.”

“I want you here.” Jack promises with a kiss on the cheek. Bitty wrinkles his nose. Jack doesn’t beard very well, instead he gets a patchy mess of facial hair.

“The playoff beard is something to get used to.” He decides on saying. “I kind of miss your face.”

“It’s pretty bad.” Jack agrees. “I'm shaving it off tomorrow.”

“After you win?” Bitty says, pulling him into the kitchen.

“After we win.”

 

 

They make dinner together, with Jack handling vegetables and Bitty handling everything else. Bitty's strangely nervous and Jack's stressed but neither them comment on it. The Chicken Alfredo gets set on the table along with vegetables and Bitty sticks his hands in his pockets. "I’ve got a question.” He says as they sit down. “Do you want it now or later?”

Jack pauses in the middle of dishing up dinner. “Is this a good question or a bad question?”

“I think it’s a good thing and I think you will too.” Bitty assures. “But it could wait too, if you wanted it to.”

“I’ll go with now.” Jack says, moving his bowl out of the way because Bitty looks serious.

“Oh. I thought that you were gonna have me wait. That works out better than I thought it would.” He fumbles in his pocket before pulling out a small box and setting it on the table. He smiles, a little shy. “You want to open that for me, Darlin?” Bitty asks. He flushes pink, but Jack smiles so he takes it as a win.

 

Jack takes the little box with two little rings and lets out a small breath. “Really?” He asks and he’s not quite sure but he sounds so hopeful that it makes Bitty’s toes curl in his socks.

“I mean, it wouldn’t be now and it wouldn’t be super realistic for you to wear the ring at this point and time but maybe someday? I just, I love you. I love you a lot and I’d like to marry you. If you want to marry me, sometime. I want the house and late nights talking but mostly I want you. I’m completely willing to do whatever you’re comfortable with publicity wise to make this work because I want to marry you.”

Bitty opens his mouth and for once he realizes for once he doesn’t have any words. “I just want to marry you, sometime.” He trails off and it sounds flat and he sounds kind of lame and it’s nothing like he planned but it sounds like him so it’s alright.

Jack’s quiet but he’s got this giant dopy grin on his face as he looks at Bitty like the world would be perfect if nothing ever changed. “You want to marry me.” He whispers, like saying it louder will break though their little bit of heaven.

“I do.” Bitty says. “Do you want to marry me?”

Jack nods quickly. “ _Yes.”_

The game’s the next day and it’s the last game of the season so it starts at six. They stop at a superstore before and pick up a leather necklace so Jack can wear his ring underneath his shirt. He'll have to take it off during the game but Jack insists they get something. Bitty keeps running his thumb down his forth finger and trying not to smile. He’s failing. He’s smiling. They’re both smiling. They get back in the car and Jack loops the ring onto the necklace.

 Jack smiles contently before slipping the ring under his shirt. “You ready for this game?” He asks.

Bitty stops for a minute because that’s the most absurd question he’s heard in a while. “Am I ready for your Stanley Cup final against the Aces? Am I ready?”

“Yes?” Jack asks and Bitty rubs his forehead.

“I am ready for your hockey game. I’m going to go watch you kick ass.” Bitty says, bumping him in the shoulder.

“Alright.” Jack says. “I think my parents want to go out for dinner afterwards.”

They drive to the rink and they walk inside and they don’t find a place to kiss each other goodbye for luck. It’s something to regret later.

Jack walks down to the locker room and Bitty walks up to the box and Jack’s family is there. Alicia gives Bitty a hug and Bob shakes his hand and they sit down for the game.

Bitty sinks his hands in the kangaroo pocket of Jack’s hoodie and they wait for warm ups. More famous, slightly famous, and famous by extension people trickle into the box. Bitty feels decidedly out of place. He’s met maybe two of these people as _One of Jack’s college friends_ and he doesn’t really look like he fits.

He sits down and talks with Bob and Alicia about graduation and school while they wait for Jack to skate out. Both teams skate onto the ice and the crowd is _loud_ so things look good. It’s going to be a good game. The series is tied three to three so no matter what happens, there will be a cup handed out tonight.

The Falconers have this.

 

 

The game is close and angry. The Falconers have a two to one lead in the second period with Jack scoring one of the first goals. The Aces goalie is good, but Jack and the other forwards on the Falconers are better. Bitty doesn’t ever sit back in his seat and Alicia swears more in the first half hour of the game than he's ever heard he swear before. It’s fun to watch and the team is doing well and Jack looks like he’s having a good time so things are _good_.

And then they aren’t.

It starts out looking like a check. Jack goes down and Bitty’s heart leaps but he has to remind himself that this is the nature of hockey and this is what he signed up for. Jack is going to get knocked down. He’s always fine afterwards, even if there is a bruise or two. But this time there’s enough blood for them to have to stop play, Jack’s helmet is across the rink, and Jack isn’t getting up so they’re having to carry him off the ice. He’s still bleeding.

They’re not even saying what _happened_ to him.

Bitty looks at Alicia and Bob and there’s a silent agreement. They get up and they run to the locker room and they’re getting Jack stabilized to put him on a gurney for an ambulance and Bitty holds back a sob. The standby paramedics are already working on him but he’s looking around confused like he just doesn’t know.

“Jack?” Bitty whispers.

“Eric?” Jack asks. There’s some gauze pad strapped straight to his face and another one on the back of his head, both steadily filling with deep red blood.

“I’m right here.” He assures quickly, stepping closer. “I’m right here.”

“Good.” Jack says, closing his eyes and breathing. “Maman?”

“We’ve got you.” Alicia assures.

Jack doesn’t move. He swallows and winces. “Someone get my bag.” He starts. “How are things going on the ice?” He asks, words slurring together a little bit at the end. Bitty swallows because crying right now wouldn’t be helpful and he wants to hold onto Jack but he _can’t_ because he doesn’t want to hurt him.

Bitty checks his phone for a quick moment because he knows Jack and he won’t leave without knowing. “The score’s the same.” He says. He doesn’t say anything about how Jack’s talking wrong or about how he sounds so _tired_ because the paramedics already know and they’re loading Jack up onto the gurney to take him to the hospital.

Bitty makes a move to get on the ambulance with them and they’re moving fast but one of the paramedics takes the time to give him a look. “Family only.” She says. “I can only take one.”

They don’t have the time to explain that _Yes, This is my hockey_ _playing_ _fiancé and I love him and I will probably kick his ass when he’s well so let me in this ambulance_ so Bitty steps out of the way. Alicia goes in the ambulance, Bob waits outside, and Bitty goes back for Jack’s bag.

 

 

It’s not like he’s never been in this locker room before, and he knows Jack’s passcode, but its empty being here without Jack. Here is where the tears start, as Bitty unlocks the padlock on Jack’s locker and shoulders the duffle bag. Bob doesn’t say anything about the tears as Bitty jogs towards the car and he’s grateful. 

They don't talk in the car. The hospital they're going to is five minutes away and neither of them are really up for discussion. Bitty gets out of the car and Bob opens the door and then he just stops. Bitty waits a moment, before reaching out. "Bob?" He asks.

Bob is sitting in the driver’s seat and he's gripping the wheel, eyes clenched shut. He breaths heavily and Bitty wonders if he should get somebody who knows Bob better than Bitty does because he has no idea how to help him.

In a single moment, Bitty remembers that Jack and his dad have a better relationship than Eric and Coach. Bob was probably the stay up late help you with homework, let you eat the food mom wouldn't, listen to you when you say _you're done for the day_ kind of dad. His kid is inside bleeding with a slashed up face, a cracked open head, and no information for anyone concerned about Jack's wellbeing.

They’re both terrified and neither one of them really know how to push each other inside. Bitty's still crying and he wouldn’t be surprised if Bob started any time soon.

“Bob?” Bitty repeats. “Bob, we have to go inside.” Bitty waits a moment before reaching out a hand and setting it on Bob’s shoulder. “Jack’s gonna be fine. They’re gonna check him out and then they’ll say they’ll want him here over night and we’ll get to take him home tomorrow. And-“ Bitty’s voice catches. “If they say he’s not fine right now. We’ll make him fine. But we’ve got to go inside.”

They’ve only been outside for a couple of minutes but they need to get inside because they still don’t know what’s going on and nobody’s going to update them unless they’re in there. Bob gets up and Bitty breathes.

 

 

Jack’s already gone for tests with Alicia left in the waiting room by the time they’ve gotten there. And then they have to wait. The thought makes Bitty's stomach hurt. The game is on in the corner of the waiting room and he can’t hear it over the roaring in his ears and the vibrating of his phone in his pocket. He can see the score though.

The Falconers win the Stanley Cup, three to two. It’s Jack’s first cup and he’s not even there for it.

Bitty curls up in his chair because this isn’t how the night was supposed to go and he’s just sitting here wishing that things were different.

Bitty rubs his hands together for something to do because he doesn’t want to try and open up his twitter because he can only imagine all of the people sending him worried messages over Jack. They’re very sweet, but he really can’t handle them right now. Somebody knocks on the doorframe of the waiting room. The three of them turn to attention because. There’s a short, strong looking woman looking at the three of them. “Are you Jack Zimmermann’s family?” She asks.

“Is Jack alright?” Bitty says before the doctor even gets all the way into the room. “Can we see him?” He’s ready to stand up and he has his hand around Jack’s bag because everything would be so much better if he could just hold Jack’s hand and see that he was going to be alright.

Everything has to be alright.

She sighs. “My name is Dr. Radley. We have a lot to talk about.”

 

 

She says his brain is bleeding. His brain is bleeding from getting slammed down to the ice. His getting hit in the face with a skate is just a scratch compared to this. People die from this and Bitty isn’t sure how he lost his words but they’re gone.

Jack is unconscious right now. He passed out during tests. They haven’t been able to wake him up since.

 “How bad is it?” Alicia asks. Her voice wobbles, but she’s still talking. Bitty isn’t sure.  

“He’s got about a thirty percent chance.” Dr. Radley says.  “Surgery is his only option.”

Bitty sucks in a shuddery breath because all he can hear are _those numbers._  

 “When?” Bob asks, voice hoarse. “When do we do the surgery then?”

“We can have a doctor in within the hour. We’ll just need some paperwork signed.” Dr. Radley says before standing. “I can have a nurse bring it in.”

“Can we see him?” Bitty asks, voice barely above a whisper.   Dr. Radley stops to think.

“I’ll see what I can do.” She says, not unkindly.

She walks out and the room falls silent. Bitty is still clutching Jack’s gym bag and he’s trying not to hiccup. He stands up. “I’ll be right back.” He says, words twisted and wrong. He leaves before anyone can say anything and locks himself in a bathroom.

 

 

He calls Shitty, because he’s the first person Bitty thinks of and he’s safe. The phone picks almost automatically. “Is he okay?”

Some kind of strangled noise makes its way out of Bitty’s mouth as he sits down on the tile. “No.” He whispers, rubbing at his eyes because he doesn’t have time for tears. He just can’t.

Shitty’s quiet. “Is he going to be?” He asks.

“I really, really hope so.”

Bitty lets Shitty know what hospital they’re at and he sits and he sends out a mass text saying _Jack’s going into surgery. I’ll let you know when we know more._ Hopefully that means that people will stop texting him then because he needs some quiet. He breathes and curls up and pretends that he isn’t frozen before getting up.

Its somewhere near eleven but the world isn't going to stop because Bitty needs a break.

It's surreal to think that last night they were dancing in the kitchen and talking about dreams and houses and kids. Last night they were talking about their wedding that Bitty hasn't told anyone is happening yet.

He really wants that wedding and that life, with Jack. He just needs to wake up and be alright.

Bitty splashes water on his face and scrubs the tears away before unlocking the bathroom door. He walks out and he still feels like a hot mess but now he might be able to sit through a surgery without breaking down. 

 

 

 

They get moved to a different waiting room in the surgical wing of the hospital. It’s a larger room, but it feels so much colder. Shitty gets there and a nurse comes to get the Zimmerman’s while Bitty debriefs Shitty. Shitty turns pale and Bitty holds his hand and wonders what Bob and Alicia are doing now because even though they don’t have to they’re keeping him in the loop and Bitty appreciates it. Shitty shakes himself off. “He’s gonna do great.” He says, jaw set. “He doesn’t ever do anything less than great.”

Bitty nods in agreement. “You’re right.” He says. “Jack’ll be fine.” He falls quiet and Shitty looks at him funny before wrapping an arm around his shoulders for a hug.

“Bro,” Shitty says. Bitty smiles a little because the words sound rusty, like Shitty hasn’t been a bro in a while. “Brah.” Shitty corrects and it sounds a little bit better. “He’s gonna be alright.”

“You’re right.” Bitty says. “You’re right.”

Shitty removes his arm and they sit with their forearms resting on their calves. “That’s not your sweatshirt.” Shitty chirps quietly, bumping Bitty in the shoulder.

Bitty pulls the hood around himself a little and puts his hands in the pouch. “The ownership of the sweatshirt changes every couple of weeks.” He explains with a small smile. “I nabbed it last night.”

Shitty opens his mount to say something else before Alicia walks up behind them and interrupts them.

"Bitty? They're getting ready to send Jack into pre-op but the nurse said you could sit with him for a little bit of you wanted to."

Part of Bitty doesn't want to move because then it’s not real and then everything is all fine and dandy. Then, the part of him that’s losing hope reminds him that there's a good chance that his fiancé won't wake up and he needs to be there to hold his hand and talk to him before they cut his head open.

 

 

Bitty gets up and tries not to shake as Bob leads him down a hall he and Alicia surely just came from. All the room has in it is machines and a bed in the middle of the room with a plastic chair on either side of the bed.

Jack's hooked up to so many tubes that Bitty isn't really sure where they end and Jack starts. He sits down next to Jack's left shoulder and picks up his hand. He's not really sure what he should be doing in here so he takes a breath and starts to whisper.

"Hey Honey," He starts. He isn't really sure what the best thing he can do is. He decides, after a second, that he can talk and that even though Jack probably can't hear him the sentiment is still there. "You won the cup."

He continues to whisper explanations about the evening to a Jack that's not really there. "And now we're here." He says. "They're going to take you up for surgery in the next little bit. I'm gonna stay down here with your parents and Shitty to wait for you for when you wake up."

Because he has to wake up. Bitty’s not sure what he’d do if Jack doesn’t wake up.

"You've got to come back to us, alright Sweetheart? We've got plans and I don't want to go through them without you. I mean, I'm graduating in a couple weeks and Lardo has a show next month. Shitty wants you to be there and embarrass his lawyer friends for his graduation and someday I want to marry you. And you took the ring so I guess you wanna marry me to." Bitty smiles a little. "It'd be boring to get married alone, you know?"

"You won the cup." Bitty says again, a little more reverently because it's kind of important. "The Falconers are gonna find some way to bring it in here as soon as you're well enough. I can just feel it. They might bring it sooner for luck. They're gonna be here for you too. You've just got to come back for us."

He sits there for a few minutes, quietly, before a nurse says that he has to go now. They have to take Jack for his surgery. _You’ll see him after._ He promises.

Bitty presses Jack's fingers to his lips, stands up, and he leaves.

It'll all be okay. It has to be.

 

 

He gets back to the waiting room and it's fuller, even though it’s later. George is there, so are a couple of the boys from Jacks line, and then there's a face Bitty doesn't expect to see. There's Parson. Parson, who Bitty knows Jack used to have problems. Parse, who would probably kick somebody in the balls if they tried to take him out of here.

The Falconers are looking at Parse a little funny even though they know that he isn’t the one who slammed Jack down. Parse is glaring at them back and George looks like she’s ready to throw every one of them out of the waiting room for being disruptive.

Bitty really likes George, he has to admit. She keeps them in line.

“They made you leave?” Bob asks. He’s half smiling as Bitty nods.

“They’re taking him up.” Bitty says. “I think they’ll tell us more in an hour.” He sits down beside Shitty and both of Jack’s teammates stand up to try for the seat on Bitty’s other side.

Offhandedly, Bitty wonders what stories Jack’s been telling in the locker room.

The bigger of the two, Joney, wins the seat. Tinsel walks back to sit by George empty handed. It’s ridiculous and Bitty’s not really sure if he’s going to laugh or cry. He might do both.

“You do realize I am not doing anything cooler than George, right?” Bitty asks.

Joney looks at Bitty for a moment before deciding that it would not be overstepping his bro boundaries to put an arm around Bitty’s shoulder. “Dude.” He starts. “Jack talks about you a lot for being such a quiet dude. You've got to be hot shit if you can pull Jack out of his shell. I’ll sit with George later, I’ll sit with you now so Tinsel can’t.” 

Bitty nods, mostly because it's a valid answer and he's tired. Joney turns towards Bob and Alicia. "Do you what to hear what kind of trouble your boy got into in Anaheim?" He asks, borderline giddy.

George winces because, “ _We barely kept that from the press, come on Joney.”_

Alicia shifts forwards, more attentive and Bob slinks down in his chair like he's resigned to the fact that Jack has done something story worthy. He'll probably be rolling his eyes later.

Joney launches into the story of how Jack climbed onto the roof of his rental Jeep in the middle of the parking lot in front of the Ducks' stadium, using bags as makeshift steps, just because there was a picture he wanted and he couldn’t get the right angle.

Bitty doesn’t think he could ever fall asleep because they’re taking Jack away and they’re opening him up. Every time he thinks about it he doesn’t think he can breathe. That’s probably why Shitty wraps an arm around him and why Joney and Tinsel start telling stories about how much of a _giant nerd_ Jack’s been all season.

Bitty drifts off warm, safe, and almost secure.

 

 

_Everything is cold and dark. Bitty isn’t sure how he got here but he want to leave. His clothes are too tight and the air is too cold, too dry. He’s all for dressing nicely but this suit is the last thing he wants to be wearing. Not this suit. Not this day. Not this._

_He follows the rules and stands quietly. He sits in proper rows and holds the hand of the right people hands he doesn’t ever cry. Not even once._

_Whenever they day feels like it’s going to end it starts over again. And again. And again._

_It’s a never ending cycle that Bitty can feel eating away at him, starting over every time he watches the coffin close. They ask him to pick it up and everything starts over again._

It stops.

He wakes up and he scrambles for air. Hands grip his arms and tell him to breathe. He swallows screams. “You’re okay,” Somebody says. Bitty’s not even sure who’s talking he just knows that he needs to calm down. “Breathe kid, you’re gonna be fine.”

Eric counts breaths and clenches fists and slowly his hammering heartbeat calms. His vison clears enough for him to see who exactly is touching him.

It’s Kent. They’re alone.

Bitty’s first thought is panic, because why aren’t Bob and Alicia there and where did Shitty go? George, Joney, and Tinsel are free to leave whenever they want but Bitty hadn’t expected them to go in the time he was sleeping.

He doesn’t even know what time it is. He pulls out his phone and he must look frantic because Parson squeezes his arms again. Bitty gives Kent a look before he backs off.

It’s just after two in the morning. “Where is everyone?” He asks, looking around. He knows they’re not going to pop out of the woodwork, but they’re not there and he’s not sure where they are.

“The Falconers are on a coffee run.” Parse starts to explain. “Knight’s in the bathroom calling a Larissa. I volunteered to sit here with you.”  

“Bob and Alicia?” Bitty interrupts, tongue sharp.

“They’re getting an hourly update from the surgeon. They’ll be back in a couple minutes.” He nudges Bitty in the side. “Everything’s good so far.”

Bitty nods, relaxing a little. “Okay.” He says. “Thanks, I think.”

Parse nods. They’re quiet and a little bit awkward because they don’t really know each other. They both know Jack, and they know him _well_ , but they don’t know each other. “From what I saw, you played well.” Bitty says. It’s an awkward way to break the ice and the both know it.

Parse snorts and leans back, giving Bitty his space. “Thanks.” He pauses before continuing to talk. “I punched the guy’s lights out.” He says. They don’t need to clarify whose lights Parse punched out. They both already know. “It was worth the penalty.”

Bitty wonders if it’s odd to be touched that somebody would punch a teammate out for a friend. It feels like it’s probably a hockey thing. “Thanks.” He says. It’s solid, something he doesn’t need to think about.

 

 

It’s nearly three in the morning and everyone is waiting. Tinsel doses lightly, laying on top of Parson. Bitty has to say, it’s arguably the most hilarious thing in the entire hospital. Alicia agrees with him.

Dr. Radley walks into the waiting room. She’s still in full blown scrubs and cap. Everyone stops talking. Parse gently shakes Tinsel awake. Bitty’s frozen, his fingers locked over his ring.

It’s obvious who they’re waiting for.

She walks over and Bitty tries to judge her expression but she’s unreadable. Her movements are precise. Her eyes are sharp. She looks like ice, and not the kind that Bitty’s fond of.

He reaches out and blindly grabs a hand. Somebody squeezes his fingers back and Bitty realizes it’s probably Shitty. Dr. Radley exhales before nodding. “We’ve got high hopes.” She says. “We won’t know for sure until he wakes up, but it looks good.”

_It looks like he’ll be okay._

Bitty lets out a breath that sounds like a gasp, Alicia voices her thanks, and Bob laughs like he’s trying not to cry. Bitty’s vaguely aware of Shitty leaning back in his seat and sighing. Everything else just kind of blurs out.

They wait another half hour and then they get to sit with Jack in shifts.

Jack wakes up on Bitty's second shift and everything is alright.

 

Hours later, after doctors have run more tests and have ruled that things look good, Bitty sits beside Jack on his bed. The bed’s little, but Bitty’s small so he finds a way.

“You’re sure we really won?” Jack asks for the third time. Bitty would be concerned, but Jack’s voice is teasing so he knows Jack’s brains aren’t too scrambled.

“You really won.” Shitty says from the corner. He’s technically not supposed to be in the room, but then again, neither are Parse and Bitty.

Alicia exhales from the chairs beside Jack’s bed. “I’m sure Joney and Tinsel are trying to convince George to bring the cup in so you can lift if over your head too. They want pictures.”

“Maybe in a week or so.” Jack says. He doesn’t say anything about how he couldn’t lift it now. He’s not even allowed to get out of bed now. He’ll have to take at least a season off, but he’ll be able to play again so things are looking good.

He’s alive, so things are good.

Bitty reaches out and grabs his hand. He starts to draw his hand back, because it’s dumb and even though Bitty’s pretty sure that Parse and Jack dated it doesn’t mean that he shouldn’t be careful in front of him. Then, Jack squeezes his hand back and Bitty just can’t let go.

Jack yawns and Bitty shifts so that he can lean back a little more.

 

“You want us to leave?” Bob asks.

“No!” Jack says, as quickly as he can. “Please stay.”

He looks to Bitty and for a moment he’s confused before Jack starts humming Bruno Mars ‘Marry you,’ of all the song choices to make. The fact that Jack remembers the song shocks Bitty into remembering.

“Oh!” He says. “Like, right now, right now?” _In front of all of these people?_

“Unless you have other plans.” Jack says with a smirk and dammit _is he getting chirped right now_? “Do you have my bag?”

Bitty looks around and the bag’s been pushed out of the way on the other side of the room. That means he has to get up. Bitty sighs. “Don’t move.” He demands.

Jack nods and Bitty gets up. He moves Shitty over about two feet so he can kneel down next to the bag and shushes him when he tries to ask questions.

Jack’s trying not to laugh.

“Where’d you put it?” Bitty huffs, elbow deep in the hockey bag. One of these can hold a small skater so it’s difficult to find an engagement ring.

“Check the pocket with my phone?” Jack instructs.

There are also packets of peanut butter and jelly in that same pocket. Bitty’s kind of honored engagement and pregame sandwiches share a space. That’s probably also a hockey thing, being so touched by peanut butter.

Bitty goes up to go sit by Jack again, ring in one hand, reaching for Jack with the other. He’s nervous, for a moment, then he realizes that he trusts everyone here, save Parse, enough to have them be family. And Jack trusts Parse that much, so everything’s fine.

Parse looks at them funny, like he’s trying to figure them out. “Are you to having a weird, My Liney almost died thing? How come Knight and I aren’t invited?”

Bitty hands Jack his ring and instead of wearing like a necklace, Jack takes it off the cord and puts it on his left hand.  Shitty says something that sounds vaguely like _You Motherfuckers_ under his breath.

“It’s more of a, My fiancé put himself in the hospital in his quest for the cup and I’m glad he’s still around.” Bitty says. He looks over at Alicia and Bob and wonders if they’ll be mad. He considered telling them, but it felt like something Jack should be awake for.

 They’re not mad though. Alicia’s got a hand over her mouth and Bob’s giving them a thumbs up. Bitty will pretend that he didn’t see any of Bob’s tears either. He glances back over towards Jack and Parse bumping fists. Okay then.

Shitty’s fuming silently. “Asshole broke his face so I couldn’t squeeze him. I knew it.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Title from the Song "Car Radio" By Twenty One Pilots  
> [tumblr](http://limeadepeels.tumblr.com/)


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